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ISBN 978-92-823-3195-8
NOTE
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EN DE ES FR IT NL PL 2010
DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES
POLICY DEPARTMENT B: STRUCTURAL AND COHESION POLICIES
TRANSPORT AND TOURISM
THE PROMOTION OF CYCLING
NOTE
This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and
Tourism.
AUTHORS
TRT - Trasporti e Territorio, Milan, Italy*
RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR
Nils Danklefsen
Policy Department B: Structural and Cohesion Policies
European Parliament
B-1047 Brussels
E-mail: poldep-cohesion@europarl.europa.eu
EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE
Angélique Lourdelle
LINGUISTIC VERSIONS
Original: EN
Translations: DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL
ABOUT THE EDITOR
To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to its monthly newsletter please write to:
poldep-cohesion@europarl.europa.eu
Manuscript completed in April 2010.

Brussels, © European Parliament, 2010.
This document is available on the Internet at:

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DISCLAIMER
The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do
not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.
Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the
source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.
*
Angelo Martino, Silvia Maffii and Paola Raganato.
DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES
POLICY DEPARTMENT B: STRUCTURAL AND COHESION POLICIES
TRANSPORT AND TOURISM
THE PROMOTION OF CYCLING
NOTE
Abstract
The present note aims to give an overview of the cycling problems and
challenges by describing the policies of European cities to promote
cycling. It presents a collection of best practices regarding road
infrastructures and parking facilities, cyclists’ safety and security, and
intermodality. It concludes by providing recommendations concerning
the EU and local authorities.
IP/B/TRAN/FWC/2006-156/lot7/C1/SC6 2010
PE 431.592 EN
The promotion of cycling
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS 3
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 5
GLOSSARY 7
LIST OF TABLES 9
LIST OF FIGURES 11
LIST OF BOXES 13
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 15
1. INTRODUCTION 19
1.1. Urban mobility 19
1.2. EU initiatives 20
1.3. This briefing note 20
1.4. The structure of this note 22
2. CYCLING: CONCEPTS AND CURRENT PROBLEMS 23
2.1. Introduction 23
2.2. The benefits of cycling 23
2.2.1. Transport efficiency 23
2.2.2. Environmental benefits 24
2.2.3. Health and fitness issues 24
2.2.4. Economic and Social impacts 25
2.3. Current major problems 26
2.3.1. Cyclists’ safety and security 26
2.3.2. Lack of bicycle parking facilities 26
2.3.3. Weather conditions 26
2.3.4. Poor intermodality 26
3. THE CURRENT SITUATION IN EUROPE 27
3.1. Statistics on bicycle use 27
3.2. National cycling policies 30
3.3. Promoting cycling as tourism and leisure 34
4. MAIN CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 37
4.1. Road infrastructure and parking facilities 37
4.1.1. Positive trends in cycling in Seville 38
4.1.2. Cycle infrastructure in Copenhagen 39
4.1.3. Bicycle parking facilities in Münster 40
4.1.4. Suggested measures 41
4.2. Safety 41
4.2.1. Training and education at schools in Germany and England 42
4.3. Increasing intermodality 45
4.3.1. The Italian experience of Ferrara, the “City for Cyclists” 47
4.4. Security 48
4.4.1. Supervised parking in the Netherlands 48
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4.4.2. Registered bicycles in Amsterdam 48

4.4.3. Radio Frequency Identification Scheme in Copenhagen 48
4.5. Soft measures 49
4.5.1. Opening one way streets for car traffic to bicycle transit 49
4.5.2. Allowing bicycle transit in bus lanes 50
4.5.3. Reducing speed limit of cars to 30 km/h 51
4.5.4. Allowing right-hand turns at red traffic lights for cyclists 51
4.5.5. Cycle Streets in Kiel 51
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 53
5.1. Foreword 53
5.2. The importance of policy integration 53
5.3. Key areas for future intervention 55
5.4. The role of the authorities 56
5.5. The role of the EU 57
6. REFERENCES 59
ANNEX 65
A.1 Cycle infrastructure in the Netherlands 65
A.2 The Sustrans Links to Schools and Bike It projects 66
A.3 Vélib’ bike sharing scheme in Paris 68
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CIVITAS CIty VITAlity Sustainability Initiative
CO2 Carbon Dioxide
CoR Committee of the Regions
CROW The National Information and Technology Platform for Transport,

Infrastructure and Public Space of the Netherlands
DB Deutsche Bahn
EC European Commission
EEA European Environment Agency
EESC European Economic and Social Committee
ELTIS European Local Transport Information Service (ELTIS)
EP European Parliament
EPOMM The European Platform on Mobility Management
EU European Union
FIAB Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GIS Geographical Information System
ICT Information and Communication Technologies
RGUVV Rheinische Gemeindeunfallversicherungsverband
SUTPs Sustainable Urban Transport Plans
WHO World Health Organization
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GLOSSARY
Roadside converted-footway type structure or sidepath alongside

Cycle path /
(not on) a carriageway (United Kingdom) or roadway (United
Cycle track
States)
A part of a road marked by painted lines and intended for use by

Cycle lane
bicycles (MacMillian dictionary)
Cycle street Street on which bicycles have priority over other road users
Usually a series of cycle paths making a medium-long cycle

Cycle route
itinerary used for cycling tourism
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1
Main features of SUTPs, mobility management and cycling 21
Table 2
National bicycle plans 32
Table 3
Measures for cycling safety infrastructure in Copenhagen 39
Table 4
Cycle policy targets achieved in Copenhagen (1998–2006) 40
Table 5
Bicycle parking in Münster 41
Table 6
Possible measures for cyclists’ safety – Danish Ministry of Transport 43
Table 7
Precautions and suggestions for cyclists’ safety 45
Table 8
The Ferrara policies to promote cycling 47
Table 9
Suggested hard and soft measures 55
Table 10
The Five Es concepts 56
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1
Bicycle modal share in all journeys per country 28
Figure 2
Bicycle modal share in some cities of Denmark, Netherlands and Germany
compared to national average modal share 28
Figure 3
Bicycle modal share in some cities of Sweden, Belgium and Austria compared to
national average modal share 29
Figure 4
Bicycle modal share in some cities of the United States, Canada and Australia
compared to national average bicycle modal share 29
Figure 5
Cycle paths and lanes in European cities (km/km2) 30
Figure 6
The positive results of the Copenhagen bicycle policy (1998-2006) 40
Figure 7
Number of cyclists’ fatalities in EU 25 (2005) 42
Figure 8
‘Fly parking’ in Dublin and Amsterdam 49
Figure 9
‘Cycle contraflow’ in a Swiss city and in the UK 50
Figure 10
Cycling trends in London 51
Figure 11
Velorouten and cycle streets in the city of Kiel 52
Figure 12
Example of Dutch roundabout with bicycle safety tracks 66
Figure 13
Annual Sustrans survey within the Bike It project 67
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LIST OF BOXES
Box 1
Benefits of regular physical activity 24
Box 2:
The EuroVelo project 34
Box 3:
Switzerland Mobility network 35
Box 4:
The ‘Bicyclepooling’ project 44
Box 5:
The ‘Bikeability’ project 44
Box 6:
Call a Bike, the flexible German bicycle sharing scheme 46
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Background
Mobility may be regarded as the ability to travel, although its meaning could be much
broader since mobility encompasses not only the activity of travel but also, more
importantly, the possibility for the traveller to decide when and where to travel, by being
aware and making use of an information set for optimising the journey.
Although mobility plays a crucial role in contributing to the socioeconomic growth of urban
areas, its positive effects have to be weighed alongside the negative impacts which the
increasing demand for mobility has generated over the last 20 years.
‘More sustainable’ is thus regarded as being the main goal that underpins current
approaches to and solutions for future mobility. Sustainability should lie at the heart of all
policies and strategies for a more sustainable transport system in environmental (CO2, air
pollution, noise) and competitiveness (congestion) terms, while also addressing social
concerns. This is why the concept of sustainability goes far beyond the need to respond to
managing road traffic flows and their impacts, because it shall also address, for instance,
the cost of mobility in relation to social exclusion, economic and social cohesion, and the
demographic changes that will shape the structure of European cities in the future.
Based on the background outlined, and even if local authorities are primarily responsible for
urban policies according to the principle of subsidiarity, the European Union (EU) has taken
an active role since the adoption of the White paper on transport policy (EC, 2001). The
purpose of the EU action is to offer local authorities specific support for promoting a new
culture of urban mobility, in which sustainable and affordable urban transportation is a key
to making cities dynamic and vibrant environments. This also explains why EU support has
taken several forms, through a combination of policy intervention and guidance support.
Aim
The present note is one of three notes dealing with urban mobility.2 It aims to give an
overview of cycling problems and challenges by describing the main urban policies that
promote cycling, such as:
 the provision of good, and safe infrastructures in cities and neighbourhoods;

 cycling education and the promotion of safety for cyclists;
 the importance of intermodality in giving cyclists the opportunity to make medium-to-
long-distance trips;
 the challenge of improving security, to prevent theft and avoid aggression towards
cyclists.
2
The two other briefing notes requested by the Committee on Transport and Tourism deal with 'Sustainable Urban
Transport Plans (SUTPs)' and 'Mobility Management'.
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The note presents some examples of good practice with successful and effective outcomes.
Some of these practices may be easily transferred to other cities within relatively short
time spans since they do not require expensive budgets and construction of infrastructure
or cycling facilities.
Outline of contents
There are five Chapters. Following the introductory Chapter, Chapter Two illustrates the key
concepts for cycling such as its benefits and the major problems it presents. Cycling has
gained popularity as an everyday means of transport and as a recreational or holiday
activity. People mostly choose to use a bicycle for positive reasons: it is fun, it is a daily
healthy exercise, it is environmentally friendly, it is fast (in congested urban areas) and it is
inexpensive.
The major benefits can be divided into the following categories: (i) transport efficiency,
(ii) environmental benefits, (iii) health and fitness issues, (iv) economic and social impacts.
Despite these positive features, cycling has also negative aspects related to (i) lack of or
inadequacy of road and parking infrastructures, (ii) cyclists’ safety and security, (iii)
weather conditions, (iv) poor intermodality.
Chapter Three analyses the current situation in European countries in terms of national
policies and statistics about daily bicycle use. Despite its many advantages, cycling is still
underused in many countries. Bicycle modal share is low in many cities. This is partly the
result of poor policies to promote urban cycling mobility.
Chapter Four considers the main cycling-related challenges and opportunities and reviews
best practice for (i) road infrastructure and parking facilities, (ii) cyclists’ safety,
(iii) intermodality, (iv) security, (v) soft measures. Spanish, Danish, Dutch, German,
Italian, English, Belgian and French experiences have been described in order to
disseminate the best policies to promote and increase urban cycling. The experiences have
been divided into two types of measure: (i) ‘hard measures’, which imply heavy investment
and require a medium to long period to be implemented, and (ii) ‘soft-measures’, which
may be implemented within a short period and with modest investment.
Finally, Chapter Five summarises the results of the analysis and provides recommendations
for the different authorities, including the EU. Indeed, promoting cycling is the
responsibility of the national and local authorities, since it is an integral part of urban
policy. The EU, as supranational coordinator and facilitator, should continue to fund EU
initiatives and projects, in order to:
 give guidelines and measures to promote cycling that could be followed by EU cities in
their local policies;
 propose targets for bicycle modal share, especially in congested urban environments;
 maintain efforts to encourage safer cycling by investing in road safety projects.
Protection of vulnerable road users is the first step to promotion of cycling;
 facilitate the collection of cycling-related statistical data by financing EU studies and
creating a common database in which best practices can be gathered.
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In conclusion, the EU should assist national and local governments, as decision-makers, to

choose the measures best suited to changing public behaviour, according to the subsidiarity
principle. Certainly, cooperative efforts can help by making easier the implementation of
these measures. Sustainable Urban Transport Plans (SUTP), which help transport systems
meet society’s economic, social and environmental needs whilst minimising their
undesirable impacts on the economy, society and the environment, are one effective
option. Within SUTPs, measures intended to improve cycling may play a relevant role and
make a significant contribution to local authority objectives of reducing CO2 emissions,
improving air quality targets, etc.
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Urban mobility

Mobility may be regarded as the ability to travel (Giuliano, Hu, & Lee, 2003), although its
meaning may be much broader since it encompasses not only travel activity but also, more
importantly, the possibility for the traveller to decide when and where to travel, by being
aware and making use of a set of information for optimising the journey.
Since mobility is crucial to quality of life, a significant link with the urban transport system
exists. Both directly influence people’s daily life and activities, and play a key role in all
functions of society. They also influence opportunities to engage in social activities and
interact with social communities.
However, though mobility makes a crucial contribution to the socioeconomic growth of

urban areas, the positive effects have to be also weighed alongside the negative impacts
which the increasing demand for mobility has rapidly generated over the last 20 years. This
is particularly important when the demand for mobility is observed at local and city levels.
Cities are a critical part of the transport system, not least because, as pointed out by the
recently adopted European Commission (EC) Action Plan on urban mobility, more than 72%
(UN, 2007) of Europeans live in an urban area and this percentage is expected to increase.
Cities are the powerhouses of economic growth and development, since around 85% of the
EU’s GDP is generated in urban areas. At the same time, 40% of total CO2 emissions and
70% of emissions of other pollutants are caused by urban traffic.
Challenges like road traffic congestion, road safety, environmental impacts (any discussion
on the future urban mobility and urban transportation system must take account of policies
aimed at reaching the EU’s ambitious CO2 reduction targets of ‘20-20-20’), urban sprawl,
increasing demand for mobility (mainly satisfied by private car ownership) are common to
many European cities. The need to solve these problems has become even more crucial to
maintaining a high quality of life in a sustainable way, and competitive, smooth mobility of
people and goods. Urban mobility is crucially embedded in the daily life of EU citizens and is
thus of primary concern for them. This was shown by a survey conducted by
Eurobarometer in July 2007, in which 90% of Europeans said that the traffic situation in
their area should be improved (Eurobarometer, 2007).
‘More sustainable’ is thus the main goal that underpins current approaches to and solutions
for future mobility. Sustainability should lie at the heart of all policies and strategies for a
more sustainable transport system in environmental (CO2, air pollution, noise) and
competitiveness (congestion) terms, while also addressing social concerns. This is why the
concept of sustainability goes far beyond the need to respond by managing road traffic
flows and their impacts, because it should also address, for instance, the cost of mobility in
relation to social exclusion, economic and social cohesion, and the demographic changes
that will shape the structure of European cities in the future.
Making urban mobility more accessible, efficient, environmentally friendly and inclusive is
not easy. It has to consider all that factors that depend on how urban transport itself
develops in the future, and the directions in which it will move based on technological
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progress, demographic changes, socioeconomic and environmental development and the

effects they will generate.
1.2. EU initiatives
Based on the background outlined in Section 1.1, and even if local authorities are primarily
responsible for urban policies according to the principle of subsidiarity, the European Union
has taken an active role since the adoption of the White paper on transport policy (EC,
2001). The purpose of EU action is to offer local authorities specific support for promoting a
new culture of urban mobility, in which sustainable and affordable urban transportation is
the key to making cities dynamic and vibrant. This also explains why EU support has taken
several forms, through a combination of policy interventions and guidance support.
At a policy level, the Green paper ‘Towards a new culture of urban mobility’ (EC, 2007a)
and the Action plan on urban mobility (EC, 2009) both represent a cornerstone by putting
in place a comprehensive endeavour for addressing the different dimensions of urban
mobility. With these two documents, the European Commission acknowledges the
differences that exist between European cities – even though they all face common and
similar challenges – and stresses the need to implement an approach that should be as
integrated as possible and should optimise the use of all modes of transport (concept of co-
modality).
The EC has been backed by the other EU institutions. The resolution on the Green paper
(EP, 2008a) and the own-initiative report on the Action Plan on urban mobility (EP, 2008b)
adopted by the European Parliament (EP), the two opinions adopted by the European
Economic and Social Committee (EESC) (EESC, 2008) and the Committee of the Regions
(CoR) (CoR, 2008) respectively, and the discussion held by the Council confirm that urban
transport and urban mobility should be fully part of the European transport system, and
that the EU objectives set in the cohesion, environment, health and economic policies are
not achievable if urban mobility is not appropriately taken into account.
Based on existing policy developments, the EC has also undertaken a number of guidance
initiatives. Of these, CIVITAS (CIty VITAlity Sustainability Initiative) is probably the
best-known tool for helping European cities implement better integrated sustainable urban
transport strategies. Other initiatives (e.g. EPOMM, ELTIS) have come in the form of
platforms for exchanging best practice, databases and guideline services. The added valued
of all these tools is that they provide local authorities with an opportunity to be (i)
concretely and successfully involved, and (ii) financially supported when they participate in
demonstration projects and campaigns.
1.3. This briefing note

The Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament has requested
briefing notes on three policy issues that play a key role in the discussion on sustainable
mobility at urban level. These three policies (sustainable urban transport plans, mobility
management and the promotion of cycling) will be examined in three distinct notes, with a
focus on current challenges and future opportunities. The present note covers the
promotion of cycling. The analysis will be supported by the presentation and description of
selected case studies. Table 1 summarises the main features of each note.
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Table 1: Main features of SUTPs, Mobility Management and Cycling
Topic Timing Approach Main features EU role
- Consistency between (Common to all

SUTPs’ objectives and topics)
broader national
strategies in the - Guidance
reduction of mobility - Policy
problems development
- Monitoring is a crucial - Financial
step in all plans in order support
to check the progress - Dissemination
status of the targets and and exchange
the measures of best practice
- Strategic (long-
Sustainable implemented - Policy
- Medium and term vision of
Urban Transport - Integration, which is mainstreaming
long term sustainable
Plans (SUTPs) intended both of sustainable
mobility)
horizontally (between mobility
policies) and vertically concepts into
(between government planning
levels). This is a pre- processes
requisite, from which - Policy support
objectives, targets and for developing
measures are later sustainable
derived mobility targets
- Public involvement (e.g. reduction
and acceptance is the of road accident
key to success. casualties and
injuries
- Operational including
(better and more - Use of mainly ‘soft’ vulnerable road
efficient measures users,
Mobility - Short to
coordination - Integration of ‘soft’ and reduction of
management medium term
between existing ‘hard’ measures pollutant
transport modes - Technological Innovation emissions,
and services) reduction of
noise levels in
- Operational - Implementation of
urban areas
(integration ‘hard’ measures in the
from road
- Short to with sustainable medium term and of
traffic)
Cycling medium mobility policies the ‘soft’ measures in
term and demand the short term
Mobility - Improvement of
Management) cyclists’ safety
This briefing note provides an overview of cycling problems and challenges by describing
the urban policies that help promote cycling. It analyses the main cycling-related policies,
such as:
 the provision of appropriate and safe infrastructures in cities and at neighbourhood

level;
 cycling education and the promotion of safety for cyclists;
 the importance of intermodality, to give cyclists the opportunity to make medium to
long-distance trips;
 the challenge of improving security, to prevent theft and avoid aggression towards
cyclists.
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It presents some examples of good practice, with successful and effective outcomes. Some
of these practices could be easily transferred inother cities in relatively short periods of
time, since they do not cost a lot and do not require the construction of infrastructure or
cycling facilities.
The analysis has found that there is no a single policy that can promote cycling, but rather
a set of well-integrated and coordinated policies. The latter have the potential to change
people’s behaviour quite dramatically. The cities which have the greatest number of bicycle
trips per day have been making continuing efforts to ensure safer cycling and to provide
modern, well-maintained cycling infrastructure and facilities.
1.4. The structure of this note

The present note is divided into five Chapters. Following this introductory Chapter, Chapter
Two illustrates the key concepts of cycling, such as its benefits and major problems.
Chapter Three analyses the current situation in Europe in terms of national policies and
statistics about daily bicycle use. Chapter Four points out the main challenges and
opportunities related to cycling. It also reviews best practice for (i) road infrastructure and
parking facilities, (ii) the safety of cyclists, (iii) intermodality, (iv) security, and (v) soft
measures.
Chapter Five summarises the results of the analysis and provides recommendations for
local authorities, as well as summarising the key areas for future developments in cycling
policy.
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2. CYCLING: CONCEPTS AND CURRENT PROBLEMS

KEY FINDINGS
Cycling is fun, healthy, environmentally friendly, fast and inexpensive.
The major cycling-related benefits are classified into the following categories:
- transport efficiency;
- environmental protection;
- cyclists’health and fitness;
- economic and social impact.
Despite these positive features, cycling has also negative aspects related to:
- lack or inadequacy of road and parking infrastructure;
- cyclists’ safety and security;
- weather conditions;
- poor intermodality.
2.1. Introduction
Cycling is experiencing a noticeable popularity as an everyday means of transport and as a
recreational or holiday activity. People mostly choose to use a bicycle for positive reasons:
it is fun, it is healthy exercise, it is environmentally friendly, it is fast (in congested
urban areas) and it is inexpensive.
Internationally, cycling has attracted increasing attention as an environmentally sustainable

means of transport, since bicycles do not create pollution or noise. More cycling in urban
areas in place of cars could reduce congestion and energy consumption from travel activity.
Promoting cycling also makes a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gases and
other emissions.
2.2. The benefits of cycling

Different European and international studies have classified these benefits in the following
groups: (i) transport efficiency, (ii) environmental benefits, (iii) health and fitness issues,
and (iv) economic and social impacts.
2.2.1. Transport efficiency
 For short distances and especially in congested cities, cycling is the fastest and most
flexible mode for ‘door to door’ travel.
 Bicycle parking does not use much space: 10 bicycles can be parked in the space
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required for a single car. The space consumption of a parked bicycle has been
calculated at only 8% of the space consumption of a car (Wittink (ed), 2001; Héran,
2002).
 It costs more to build a typical car park than to manufacture and install a bicycle stand.
2.2.2. Environmental benefits
 Short-distance trips by motor vehicles are the least fuel-efficient and generate the most
pollution per kilometre compared to long-distance trips. These trips could be potentially
replaced by cycling.
 Cycling is the most energy efficient means of transport. The bicycle emits nothing into
the atmosphere and is virtually silent. Several studies indicate that CO2 emissions from
traffic can be reduced by substituting short car trips with bicycle trips.
 Reducing car trips would alleviate ozone depletion, the greenhouse effect,
photochemical smog, acid rain and noise pollution.
2.2.3. Health and fitness issues
Regular cycling has significant social and health benefits and can therefore help reduce
health care costs for society as a whole. Cycling has the same effect on health as other
types of exercise and motion. Four hours of cycling per week or approximately 10 km of
cycling per day, which for many people is the equivalent of a daily cycle trip to and from
work, is an adequate level of exercise. Cycling contributes to personal health by enhancing
fitness and providing an enjoyable, convenient and affordable means of exercise and
recreation. Box 1 shows the benefits of regular physical activity as reported by the Chief
Medical Officer of the Department of Health of London.
Box 1: Benefits of regular physical activity
 Reduces the risk of premature death from heart disease
 Reduces the risk of developing diabetes
 Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure
 Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure
 Reduces the risk of developing colon and breast cancer
 Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety
 Helps control weight
 Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints
 Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling
 Promotes psychological well-being
Source: Evidence on the impact of the physical activity and its relationship
to health. Department of Health, London (2004)
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More than a third of Europeans are not sufficiently physically active (WHO, 2002), and the
obesity rate is estimated to have increased by 10-40% from the late 1980s to the late
1990s. In industrialised countries, physical inactivity is the second most important risk
factor – after tobacco smoking – for poor health.
Nevertheless benefits related to cycling are not only individual; the entire society benefits
by having a healthy ,fit population. Cycling saves society a considerable amount of money3
2.2.4. Economic and Social impacts
Cycling provides access and transport to segments of the population who would not
otherwise be able to travel independently. These include people who:
 cannot own a motor vehicle;

 do not have access to a motor vehicle for a required period;
 cannot use public transport.
It should be considered that 21% of Europeans are children under the age of 18 who
cannot drive a vehicle (because of the minimum driving age). Nevertheless, everybody has
a right to mobility and to participate in outdoor activities.
Cycling makes a wider range of destinations possible for more people. As a transport mode
it should be able to compete with cars for (relatively) short distances. In combination with
public transport, it can even compete with the car over long distances.
Driving is also expensive, whereas cycling is an inexpensive means of transport well within
the financial reach of almost everyone. For each kilometre travelled, travel costs for the
bicycle are lower than those of any other means of transport, with the exception of walking.
Furthermore, there are usually no parking charges levied for bicycles, which makes them
even more affordable. Travel budgets can therefore be reduced considerably by cycling.
Increasing bicycle use may eliminate the need for a second car, again leading to
considerable savings.
A downside of this fact is that a bicycle is regularly seen as something of low status,
something cheap and far inferior to cars. In several studies, there is a clear relationship
between car possession and household income. However, this is a cultural attitude that
would disappear if bicycles were widely used.
Still on the economic side, cyclists are often overlooked when it comes to economic
development. Cars are perceived to be the drivers of economic growth. Nevertheless
cycling can make city centres much more accessible and save substantial amounts of
money, both for individuals and for society.
3
In one United States study, it was estimated that costs associated with inactivity are between USD 24.3 and
37.2 billion (2.4-3.7% of total health care costs) (WHO, 2002). A Swiss study estimated that insufficient levels
of physical activity impose cost of SFR 1.4 billion a year (WHO, 2002). About two thirds of Canadians are
physically inactive, resulting in about CAD 2.1 billion of direct health care costs in Canada (Canadian Medical
Association Journal, 28 November 2000).
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2.3. Current major problems

Cycling is not always easy or enjoyable. Cyclists face major problems related to the lack or
inadequacy of road infrastructure, scarcity of parking facilities, safety and security of
cyclists and weather conditions. Finally, intermodality is still poor in many European cities.
2.3.1. Cyclists’ safety and security
Except from some bicycle-friendly countries (such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany,
and Switzerland), European countries do not have a good road infrastructure network for
cyclists. Most cycle paths, where they exist, are poorly maintained, dirty and not entirely
safe. Cyclists are forced to share road space with other motorised vehicles or with
pedestrians. This frequently causes accidents and injuries. The inadequacy of the cycle
tracks makes cyclists feel unsafe and dissuades them from increasing their bicycle usage,
especially in urban areas. Separate infrastructure for bicycles is essential to avoid conflicts
and potentially dangerous situations. It is also important to prevent accidents involving
vehicles and cyclists by providing traffic control measures and training children and adults
in cycling behaviour.
2.3.2. Lack of bicycle parking facilities
The scarcity of bicycle parking facilities in city centres and main attractions discourages
cyclists from using their bicycles for regular trips. The major threat here is that bicycle theft
is currently a big problem. Many cities are tackling this relatively successfully by
introducing innovative anti-theft devices in new bicycles. Supervised or locked bicycle
parking may help to prevent damage to bicycles and vandalism. Parking facilities are also
required to allow users to change from bike wear into everyday clothes. Good fully-
equipped bicycle parking facilities should offer services for cyclists like bicycle accessory
shops, bicycles to rent, and lockers.
2.3.3. Weather conditions
Even if weather conditions may seem to be a secondary issue, this is not in fact the case. It
is helpful for cyclists to know the weather forecasts related to their journey. They can wear
appropriate clothes and/or choose to travel using a combined means of transport (e.g. train
+ bicycle, or bus + bicycle). A Dutch software company developed a pilot project called
‘Route Rainfall Prediction’ within the ROADIDEA project in the 7th Framework Programme
of the European Union, under Theme ICT – Information and Communication Technologies.
The Route Rainfall Prediction pilot project provides weather forecasts for cyclists in the
Netherlands. Using a GIS map that includes the Dutch bicycle network, the software
provides weather forecasts up to two hours ahead for a 1km by 1km grid.4
2.3.4. Poor intermodality
At present, very few cities have equipped their public transport with bicycle racks, and the
carriage of bicycles is allowed only outside rush hours. Some German and Dutch railway
companies are changing their rolling stock to provide commuter trains with more bicycle
racks. Fortunately, thanks also to EU funded projects, more cities have started to
implement bicycle sharing. The idea of offering public bicycles at the main railway or
subway stations gives residents a choice of modes of travel.
4
More information, including a demonstration website, is available at: http://rain.roadidea.eu/route.
26
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3. THE CURRENT SITUATION IN EUROPE

KEY FINDING
Despite its many advantages, cycling is still underused in many countries.
Bicycle modal share is low in many cities. This is also the result of inadequate policies to
promote urban cycling mobility.
Support for national cycling plans and their implementation at local level would be
useful.
Urban and rural authorities promote cycling because it increases mobility and improves air
quality and quality of life in general, as well as making cities more liveable. Organisations
and businesses support these activities within the framework of work-based mobility
management. Cycling is increasingly recognised as a clean, sustainable mode of transport
and an essential part of intermodal plans for sustainable urban travel. More and more
countries are developing national cycling plans, strategies and policies.
Despite its many advantages, cycling is still underused in many cities, and its effectiveness
is too often undervalued by national and/or local transport policies. The following paragraph
compares statistics for bicycle usage in EU countries with the United States, Canada,
Australia and Switzerland (all non-EU countries).
3.1. Statistics on bicycle use

Unfortunately there are no reliable single international or European statistical reports
showing modal share of bicycle use per country, related to all journeys. Figure 1 presents
data available in each country from different sources (note that they refer to different
years): the Netherlands has the highest percentage of bicycle use (26%), followed by
Denmark (19%) and Germany (10%). Compared to European countries, the United States,
Canada and Australia are bottom of the list. They have a very low bicycle modal share but
have recently started to promote cycling mobility, trying to learn from European countries’
best practice.
Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4 compare the bicycle modal share in different cities to the
national average bicycle modal share. As the figures indicate, cities that have embraced
bicycle-friendly policies are able to achieve significant results, even if the national average
bicycle use is low. On the other hand, cities that have not adopted policies to promote
cycling have a modal share lower than the national one.
27
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Figure 1: Bicycle modal share for all journeys per country
The Netherlands 26
Denmark 19
Germany 10
9
Austria
Switzerland 9
Belgium 8
7
Sweden
France 5
Italy 4
Ireland 3
Czech Republic 3
Canada 2
Great Britain 2
USA 1
Australia 1
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007); Netherlands Ministry of Transport (2006); United States
Department of Transportation (2003); Isfort Italian survey ‘Audimob’ (2006); Annex I: Literature search bicycle use
and influencing factors in Europe– ByPad Project (2008).
Figure 2: Bicycle modal share in some cities of Denmark, Netherlands and

Germany compared to national average modal share
40
37 37
34
35
30 27 26 28
25
25 23 23
19
20
16
15 13
10 10 10
10
5
0
Sources: Fietsberaad (NL), publ. 7 (2006), Federal Ministry of Transport,

Building and Housing (D) (2002)
28
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Figure 3: Bicycle modal share in some cities of Sweden, Belgium and Austria
compared to national average modal share
35
33
30
25
20 20 19
20
15 15 14
15
8 9
10 7
5
5 3
Sources: Fietsberaad (NL), publ. 7 (2006), Bypad project,

Annex II –City portraits (2008);
Brussels data: Velo-City, 2009.
The percentage of bicycle use in some EU cities is considerable higher than the cycling
modal share in the United States, Canada and Australia. Even the most cycling oriented
cities in North America (Vancouver, Victoria, Portland and Seattle) have lower bicycle modal
shares than the least bicycle oriented cities in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark
(Pucher & Buehler, 2008).
Figure 4: Bicycle modal share in some cities of the United States, Canada and
Australia compared to national average bicycle modal share
5 4.5
4.5
4 3.5
3.5 3.1 3
3
2.5 2 2
2 1.7 1.7
1.5
1.5 1 1
1 0.6 0.7
0.5
0.5
0
Sources: Pucher and Buehler, 2008.
29
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While topography and climate are important, they do not necessarily determine the
success of cycling. Government policies – transport policies, land use policies, urban
development policies, housing policies, environmental policies, taxation policies and parking
policies – are equally important.
In many respects, North America and Australia have endorsed the use of the private car,
almost regardless of its economic, social and environmental cost. By contrast, instead of
catering for ever-increasing numbers of motor vehicles by expanding roading infrastructure
and parking facilities, many Dutch, German and Danish cities have focused on serving
people by making their cities bicycle-friendly rather than car-friendly and thus more
liveable and more sustainable.
The last report by the European Environment Agency on the quality of life in Europe’s
towns and cities,5 published in May 2009, highlighted the importance of sustainable
development of urban areas. The provision of cycling and pedestrian spaces and green
spaces improves quality of life, which residents appreciate. The report provides statistical
data about the cycling paths and lanes in each city area, expressed in km/km2 and shown
in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Cycle paths and lanes in European cities (km/km2)
Source: Ambiente Italia(2007), quoted in ‘Quality of life in Europe’s cities and towns’, EEA 2009
3.2. National cycling policies

Currently it is not compulsory for EU Member States to adopt a national bicycle plan and
there are no compulsory legal or financial frameworks. Nevertheless, an increasing number
of countries are voluntarily developing national cycling plans and strategic policies. The
handbook for urban cycling policies is ‘Cycling: the way ahead for towns and cities’
published by the European Commission in 1999.6 This handbook promotes bicycle use in
cities to decrease transport-related pollutant emissions.
5
‘Ensuring quality of life in Europe's cities and towns’, EEA report no 5/2009.
6
‘Cycling: the way ahead for towns and cities’, DG XI – Environment, nuclear safety and civil protection,
Luxembourg, 1999.
30
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The approach to cycling differs from country to country. In some cases, it is regulated in a
specific plan for cycling promotion at national level; in others, cycling policies are included
in more general national transport, environmental or health plans. In many other countries,
cycling remains the exclusive responsibility of regional and local authorities, with limited
commitment at a national level. In the Netherlands and Denmark, cycling is one of the
principal means of travel in cities, thanks in part to vigorous long-term support for cycling
from their governments.
National governments can help implement cycling policies in local areas in a variety of
ways, including the establishment of a national policy framework or strategy that sets out
the legal and regulatory instruments for safe and efficient bicycle use and the provision of
adequate financial support – especially for cycling infrastructure facilities and development.
Table 2 presents the most important cycling plans and programs in some European
countries and summarises their main objectives.
31
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Table 2: National Bicycle Plans

Country National Plan Description Objectives
Part of ‘Transport policy guidelines – encourage investment by local government in cycle routes
and transport network investment – promote cycling along with public transport
Finland Yes – increase quality standards for bicycle routes
and financing programme until
2020’ (2008)
Swedish National Strategy for – increase the safety for cyclists

Sweden Yes More and Safer Cycle Traffic – increase the modal share of cycling
(2000)
Masterplan Radfahren ‚Strategie – provide national co-ordination, general traffic management,

mobility management
Austria Yes zur Förderung des Radverkehrs in
– promote public transport + bike and education
Österreich’ (2006)
– provide a legal framework
‘Cycling into the 21st century’ The National Bicycle Action Plan consists of the three documents
‘Promoting safer cycling mentioned in the centre column.
Denmark Yes
– a strategy’
‘Collection of cycle concepts’
Dutch Bicycle Master Plan

Netherlands Yes
(1990-1997)
– promote cycling
Plan pluriannuel d'actions de l'Etat – promote intermodality train+bike
en faveur du vélo proposé en 2007 – increase cyclists’ safety
– prevent cycle theft
France Partially par le Coordonnateur
– provide training for school children
Interministériel pour le
– promote cycling as a healthy and green means of transport
Développement de l'Usage du Vélo – promote cycling in tourism, leisure and sport issues
– support cycling services industries
Source: ‘National Policies to Promote Cycling’, ECMT (2004)
32
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Table 2: National Bicycle Plans (continued)

Country National Plan Description Objectives
– initiate new methods and implementation strategies for the

promotion of cycling in Germany
National Cycling Plan – supply recommendations for actions
Germany yes
‘Ride your bike!’ 2002-2012 – make a contribution towards creating a bicycle-friendly
environment
– increase cycle use

– achieve convenient cycle access to key destinations
– improve cycle safety
– provide traffic management schemes and cycle parking facilities,
United Kingdom yes National Cycling Strategy (1996) available at all major destinations (town centre, shopping
development, educational establishments, hospital and leisure
facilities)
– reduce cycle theft
– promote sustainable transport

– increase bicycle modal share
Part of ‘Stratégie pour le and
développement durable: to assure urban development balanced with a transport system
Switzerland partially
lignes directrices et plan d’action that guarantees reduction of negative impacts of traffic on the
2008–2011’ population and on the environment. By the end of 2009 the Swiss
Federal Department of Transport will provide an action plan
specifically for ‘slow traffic’.
Source: ‘National Policies to Promote Cycling’, ECMT (2004)
33
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3.3. Promoting cycling as tourism and leisure

Cycling as tourism and leisure is quite common and is gaining in popularity among young
people and adults. The northern European countries are building and extending their long-
distance network. Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, United Kingdom and
Austria have long-distance cycle routes. Germany has a huge cycle network implemented
state by state but well connected between states and to the national network.
Box 2: The EuroVelo project
 EuroVelo is a European cycle route network that aims to offer a sustainable trans-
European Network. It comprises 12 long-distance cycle routes which cover 66 000 km
of which approximately 45 000 km has already been created.
 The network is managed by the European Cyclists’ Federation, which is seeking to

ensure that all routes offer high standards of design, signage and promotion. This goal
is to offer a good opportunity to visit countries by bike. It targets long-distance cycle
tourists.
Source: Website of European Cyclists’ Federation
France and the Czech Republic have both initiated projects to build national greenways. In
Italy, FIAB7 proposes the Bicitalia project to extend the present cycle network (1 800 km)
to a total of 16 500 km, and introduce 15 bicycle paths crossing the Italian landscape, from
the mountains to the sea, including historical towns.8
The European Parliament has recently published a study requested by its Committee on
Transport and Tourism,9 which analyses the challenges and opportunities for developing a
7
FIAB: Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta, is the Italian association that promotes cycling.
8
More information can be found on the Bicitalia’s website (www.bicitalia.org).
9
‘The European Cycle route Network Eurovelo – Challenges and opportunities for sustainable tourism’, Brussels
(2009).
34
____________________________________________________________________________________________
European tourist cycling network. Box 2 and Box 3 describe two of the above-mentioned
experiences of cycle tourism.
Box 3: Switzerland Mobility network
 Switzerland Mobility is the Swiss national network for non-motorised traffic that
integrates non-motorised traffic (e.g. hiking, skating, biking and canoeing) with public
transport (train and bus), providing the best opportunities to combine leisure and
tourism.
 The routes throughout Switzerland are linked to a wide range of services including
reservations for overnight accommodation, rental of bicycles, etc. and bookable offers
with transport of luggage on national and several regional routes. It is a good
opportunity to plan a cycle holiday throughout Switzerland, choosing between several
routes at different difficulty levels or different kinds of accommodation.
 Every route is well signposted and there are maps along the way, as the photo below
shows.
 Switzerland Mobility is an excellent example of public-private partnership because it

integrates public infrastructures with transport which is offered with private
accommodation and delivery of luggage.
Source: website Switzerland Mobility, photo: Paola Raganato
35
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36
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4. MAIN CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

KEY FINDINGS
The key levers to promote cycling are:
 road infrastructure and facilities and services for cyclists;
 intermodality for medium range trips that combine cycling with public transport;
 cyclists’ safety;
 security and theft prevention.
As well as reviewing the main challenges for the further development of cycling, this
chapter illustrates best practice examples implemented in ‘cycle-friendly’ cities. As
explained above, local administrations can operate in two ways to promote cycling in urban
areas. The first consists of implementing ‘hard measures’ as described in paragraphs 4.1 to
4.4. It should be noted that this kind of measure implies the allocation of expensive
budgets by public administrations and requires a medium to long implementation period.
The second consists of applying the ‘soft measures’ described in paragraph 4.5. These can
be started much more quickly and easily.
4.1. Road infrastructure and parking facilities

Creating well-designed cycle path infrastructure supports the potential development of
urban cycling. Many factors are important in a bicycle-friendly infrastructure, including: the
development of junctions, roundabouts and traffic lights and the safety of bicycle lanes,
including good signage.
In 1993, the Dutch National Information and Technology Platform for Transport,
Infrastructure and Public space (CROW) produced the first version of a Design Manual for
bicycle facilities, which described all the steps, from the decision to promote cycling
through to the actual physical implementation. It introduced the five main requirements for
bicycle-friendly infrastructures:
 improved traffic safety;,
 directness: short, fast routes from origin to destination;

 comfort: good surfaces, generous space and little hindrance from other road users;
 attractiveness: a pleasant, socially safe environment, without smell or noise
nuisance;
 cohesion: logical, cohesive routes.
The cycling network cannot be considered independently of other facilities for cyclists, such
as parking areas:
 linked with public transport;
 at home and at workplaces;
37
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 at shops and shopping centres;

 at public offices and on streets.
The availability of safe and convenient parking is as critical for cyclists as it is for motorists
and yet it is frequently overlooked in the design and operation of shops, offices, schools,
and other buildings. Bicycle parking needs to be visible, accessible, easy to use,
convenient, and spacious. Racks need to support the whole bike (not just one wheel) and
enable the user to lock the frame and wheels of the bike with a cable or U-shaped lock.
Parking should preferably be covered, well lit, and in open view without obstructing
pedestrians or motor vehicles. Finally, parking should also provide cycle services, especially
for long-term parking, where greater security and protection are needed than for short-
term parking. Long-term parking facilities are usually monitored by security cameras.
Good road infrastructure for cyclists goes hand in hand with car traffic restrictions in city
centres and residential areas. When main cycling routes coincide with traffic arteries for
vehicular traffic, there are often negative effects for cyclists. The cities of Seville and
Copenhagen provide good examples of how the combined implementation of different
measures, urban planning and vehicular traffic-related, as well as improved road
infrastructure, might bring about an excellent bicycle modal share. Some Dutch examples
of infrastructure are also provided in the annex.
4.1.1. Positive trends in cycling in Seville
The city of Seville in southern Spain, with a population of around 700 000, is a good
example of a sudden change in modal share urban trips. In three years, from 2006 to
2009, the percentage of cyclists in the city more than tripled. According to the last data
published by the bicycle association ‘A Contramano’, there were 6 000 cyclists in 2006. This
number grew to 13 800 in 2007 and reached 50 000 in 2009. The municipality achieved
this exceptional result by implementing a strong bicycle policy. In March 2007, the city
published the ‘Plan de la bicicleta de Sevilla’, with the aim of building eight urban cycle
paths, a total length of 77 km, to cover the entire city centre and link it with the peripheral
areas. By September 2009, 70 km had been built and the rest was due for completion by
the end of the year. The administration’s current goal is to provide 114 km of cycle lanes
by 2010, thus surpassing Barcelona in terms of bicycle trips per day (more than 80 000
daily). The provision of bicycle infrastructure has been supported by other policies such as
closure of the city centre to motorised traffic and funding school projects to create safe
school paths and provide traffic calming measures in school districts.
The city of Seville also offers the bike sharing system ‘Sevici’, as other major European
cities have done in recent years. ‘Consorcio de Trasporte Metropolitano’ also offers the
‘Bus+Bici’ service to its own public transport ticket holders. Ticket holders can rent a
bicycle for free for a whole day (7.30-20.30) and return it by midnight. The bicycle can be
rented at the bus terminal in the city, which is a good incentive to promote intermodality.
These are positive results, but the challenge for the future is to tackle is bicycle theft and,
above all, vandalism. For instance, many public bicycles of the bicycle sharing service are
damaged at the pick-up stations. A public register of bicycles has been activated to reduce
bicycles theft, but the registration costs EUR 20 and the service has been underused: only
1 270 bicycles have been registered since October 2007.
38
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4.1.2. Cycle infrastructure in Copenhagen
The Copenhagen cycle track network consists of cycle tracks on both sides of the major
roads with a total network cycle length of more than 300 km. Normally cycle tracks are at
least two metres across. In Copenhagen, bicycle traffic is considered a distinct traffic
category with its own separate road area. In 2002, for the first time, the city published ‘The
cycle Plan 2002-2012’ whose goals were to:
 increase the proportion of people cycling to workplaces to 40%,

 decrease by 50% the risk to cyclists of serious injury or death,
 increase the share of cyclists who feel safe cycling in town from 57% to 80%,
 increase travel speed on cycling trips by 10%,
 make cycling more comfortable by enhancing cycle tracks maintenance.
In order to achieve the established objectives, Danish planners have worked continuously
on perfecting the designs of cycle paths and parking facilities. Their innovative measures
are reported in Table 3. Figure 6 shows the impact of the bicycle policies implemented so
far on infrastructures and cyclists’ safety from 1998 to 2006.
Table 3: Measures for cycling safety infrastructures in Copenhagen
Measure Actions implemented
 Well maintained, fully integrated paths, lanes

and bicycle streets in the city and surrounding
Creation of an extensive system of regions
separate cycling facilities
 Fully coordinated system of colour-coded
signs for bicyclists
 Advanced green lights for cyclists at most

intersections
 Advanced cyclist waiting positions (ahead of
cars) fed by special bicycle lanes make
crossing and turning safer and quicker
Intersection modifications and priority
traffic signals  Cyclist short cuts to make right-hand turns
before intersections and exemption from red
traffic signals at T-intersections
 Bicycle paths become brightly-coloured
bicycle lanes when crossing intersections
 Plenty of good bicycle parking throughout the

city
Bike parking enhancement  Improved lighting and security of bike parking
facilities often featuring guards, video
surveillance and priority parking for women
Source: ‘Collection of cycle concepts’, Danish Road Directorate (2000)
39
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Figure 6: The positive results of the Copenhagen bicycle policy (1998-2006)

350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
Cycle track length (km) Cycle lane length (km)
Green Cycle route length (km) Killed and seriously injured cyclists (number)
On‐road cycle parking spaces (x 1000 spaces)
Source: Technical and Environmental Administration,

City of Copenhagen Bicycle Account 2006
As the graph shows, cycle tracks and cycle lanes and the total kilometres of green cycle
routes and parking facilities have increased since 1998. Another good result was the
reduction in the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured in road accidents. The Danish
bicycle policy has also increased bicycle modal share, cyclists’ comfort and travelling speed,
as highlighted in Table 4.
Table 4: Cycle policy targets achieved in Copenhagen (1998-2006)
Cycle Policy target figures 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
People who cycle to work (%) 30 34 32 36 36
Cycling risk (serious casualties per

0.52 0.38 0.38 0.3 0.22
million km cycled)
Cyclists’ travel speed (km/h) - - - 15.3 16

Source: The Technical and Environmental Administration,
City of Copenhagen Bicycle Account 2006
4.1.3. Bicycle parking facilities in Münster
Since 1999 the city of Münster has provided cyclists with a huge bicycle parking facility
very close to the main railway station. Cyclists can park their bicycles in a roofed, dry area
and reach the platforms in less than five minutes. The facility is fully equipped with cyclists’
facilities and trip-end services.
It provides 3 300 bicycle parking spaces and provides private parking for annual and
monthly ticket holders, for a small surcharge. Table 5 summarises the main information for
bicycle parking in Münster.
40
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Table 5: Bicycle parking in Münster
Opening Mon-Fri 5.30-23.00

hours Sat-Sun 7.00-23.00
Bicycle Available for different prices and

hire times
Cycle Garage available for cycle repair
service and maintenance, bicycle cleaning
service, second-hand bicycle shop
Source: www.radstation-ms.de
4.1.4. Suggested measures
Following good practice in the Netherlands and Denmark, future policies will need to focus
on the following measures to increase the cycling share, especially in urban areas:
 Implementing an urban spatial policy that considers cycling as a means of alternative

transport which therefore requires structured planning. It is important to link bicycle
traffic in the city with suburbs and towns.
 Improving safe parking facilities in city centres and providing end-of-trip facilities and
services at the main urban locations (e.g. train stations, bus terminals, exchange car
parking).
 Trying to make cyclists feel safer by maintaining cycle track surfaces properly and
providing good signage.
 Providing a link between the existing bicycle network and recreational bicycle lanes,
including long-distance bicycle routes and cycle paths alongside the main arterial roads.
4.2. Safety
Cyclists are vulnerable to motorised vehicles and they may feel more at risk under poor
cycling conditions due to insufficient cycle path infrastructure. Safety and a sense of
security are significant factors in making cycling a better option. A sense of security is the
cyclists’ subjective perception of the risk of being run over. This perception may be based
on direct experience of dangerous situations in traffic or merely a purely subjective
emotion.
It is vital that cyclists are visible to motorists at junctions and also that cyclists are aware
of cars. One means of increasing road users’ awareness of each other is to bring them
physically closer together. Figure 7 reports the number of cyclists fatalities per million
citizens from an EU 25 survey in 2005.
41
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Figure 7: Number of cyclists’ fatalities in EU 25 (2005)
Source: CARE database, EU DG-TREN
Latvia is the country with the highest number of cyclists’ fatalities, followed by other
eastern EU countries. It should be noted that Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and
Finland have a higher number of cyclists than Spain and Greece, for example, but have the
fewest reported fatalities. The following paragraphs report some examples of policies which
could promote cycling safety. The possible measures are related both to infrastructure
design and traffic calming and to cyclists’ training and behaviour.
The Danish Ministry of Transport published the strategic document ‘Promotion of safe
cycling’, to provide local bodies with guidelines and a list of possible measures to improve
road safety (see Table 6).
4.2.1. Training and education at schools in Germany and England
The current trend to improve cycling safety is to teach cycling techniques as a part of the
school curriculum. Both in Germany and England there are organisations which are giving
children instruction in the classroom and ‘on the road’ lessons (see Box 4 and Box 5).
Table 7 gives sample of precautions and suggestions that a cyclist can adopt to reduce the
risk of accident or injury, related to bicycle maintenance and personal behaviour.
42
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Table 6: Possible measures for cyclists’ safety – Danish Ministry of Transport
Topic Example of measure
Removal of car parking spaces

Road closures
Restrictions on car use Stopping and parking prohibitions for cars
Reduction of car speed limits
One-way streets
Black spot treatments

Road safety Road safety audits
Integrated safety management
Traffic calming of major roads

Fewer fixed roadside objects
Bridges and tunnels at major barriers
Cycle crossings
Staggered stop lines
Safer road layout Advanced stop lines
Pre-green lights for cyclists
Speed reducing junction treatments
Humps
Mini roundabouts
Cycle tracks on rural roads
Source: ‘Collection of cycle concepts’, Danish Ministry of Transport (2000)
43
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Box 4: The ‘Bicyclepooling’ project
In the Cologne region, the Rhein-Sieg Transport Association runs an education campaign
about cycling for school children. The ‘Bicyclepooling’ project is funded by the Ministry of
Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia and an insurance company (RGUVV), and involves
local administrations, police departments, schools, non-profit organisations (where they
exist) and bicycle dealers. It introduces the innovative concept of ‘Bicyclepooling’, which
is similar to car pooling but involves students with bicycles. Students of a district get
together in groups of four to six at a meeting point and cycle to school in the morning and
to home in the afternoon. The project runs for the first two weeks of the school year and
the target group is first-year secondary school students. Cycling in a group accompanied by
an adult is an excellent way to familiarise students with the most suitable bike routes and
the risks involved. At the end of the training, a police officer tests the children, who receive
official certificates, pennants and stickers for their bikes.
Source: Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg GmbH (Rhein-Sieg Transport Association), Köln
Box 5: The ‘Bikeability’ project
Established in 2005 by the Department for Transport, Cycling England is an independent

expert body, working to promote the growth of cycling. Bikeability, an accredited on-road
cycle training scheme, gives children the opportunity to learn to cycle safely and
responsibly. Launched in March 2007, the programme was created in consultation with
leading road safety campaigners and cycling experts. It takes learners through three
different levels:
 Level One – basic skills and bicycle handling
 Level Two – skills needed to cycle safely to school on quiet roads
 Level Three – covers more complex traffic environments
Children typically start Bikeability lessons once they have learnt to ride a bike, with
years 5 and 6 progressing to Level Two at 10-11 years old. Level Three follows at
secondary school. However, many adults are also keen to prove their Bikeability – either
to learn the basics or refresh their skills.
From its early days in 2006, Bikeability has now been adopted by half the local authorities
in England, with 40 000 badges awarded in its first year. 500 000 children are expected to
have taken part in Bikeability training by 2012. Regular media campaigns like Bike to
School Week have maintained the high public profile created by the national and regional
launches in 2007, creating powerful marketing opportunities at the grassroots level.
44
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Table 7: Precautions and suggestions for cyclists’ safety

Suggestions and advice
 Have the bicycle serviced regularly

 Look after the bicycle; check moving parts
regularly and give special attention to tyres,
brakes and lights
Bike-related
 Put on the bicycle front and rear lights and red
reflector to travel at night. Keep them clean and
if they are battery-operated, check the batteries
before each journey
 Wear a helmet, even on short journeys.

 Buy a CE marked helmet that meets normal
safety standards
Cyclist-related  Always wear reflective bands, day and night, to
increase visibility
 To improve cycling skills, take part in one of the
courses available to young people and adults
Source: TRT elaboration

Apart from England and Germany, other countries (like Belgium and Italy) have launched
projects to promote safe cycling to school in recent years. Experience in these countries
has shown that the most relevant measures are:
 information and education campaigns about safe cycling;

 training children in cycling rules and appropriate cycling behaviour;
 promoting stronger enforcement of traffic rules and laws by cyclists,
 training motorists and pedestrians to use spaces shared with cyclists responsibly.
4.3. Increasing intermodality

Many journeys cannot be undertaken by cycling or by public transport alone, since neither
offers sufficient flexibility. Public transport systems and city planners in northern Europe
are increasingly recognising the key role that cycling plays as a feeder and distributor
service for public transport. There are some important measures that could be adopted to
improve intermodality:
 implementing bicycle sharing schemes;

 providing parking and service facilities at main transport terminals in the city centre
(train stations, bus terminals, car parking areas, subway stations, etc.);
 allowing the carriage of bicycles on commuter trains and providing bicycle racks on
buses.
Bicycle sharing is a popular measure to promote cycling in urban areas. More and more
cities, including some where attitudes to cycling are unfavourable, are implementing bicycle
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sharing in different ways and via different schemes. Among the main European cities, apart
from Dutch and Danish cities, are Paris, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Seville, Lyon, Strasbourg,
Brussels and Barcelona. The idea is simple: identify enough pick-up stations near the most
attractive points in the city (including subway stations, railway stations, public offices and
commercial districts) to give commuters different options to travel to and from work.
Box 6 describes Deutsche Bahn bicycle sharing, which is completely flexible, without a fixed
return point in the city and it is currently offered in many German cities including Berlin,
Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Cologne, Karlsruhe and Munich. The Call a Bike scheme
allows the user to take a break within the rental period, during which no cost will be
charged. This means that customers pay for the cycling time only.
Box 6: Call a Bike, the flexible German bicycle sharing scheme
Call a Bike is based on a system to control the renting and return of spatially distributed
rented units. The system is protected worldwide by patent and its main features are:
 Availability: bicycles can be found at all major intersections;
 Flexibility: borrowing 24/7, no waiting time, no schedules;
 No installation of bicycle stations in public spaces required;
 Automated process for borrowing and returning bicycles.
The Call a Bike flat rate consists of an annual subscription of EUR 99 and includes the first
30 minutes per day for free. For the subsequent time, a fare of 8 cents per minute is
charged. Daily hire is allowed at a cost of EUR 9. Special discounts are available to DB’s
season ticket holders.
Source: DB Rent GmbH, ‘Call a Bike’ – intermodal mobility service of DB AG
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4.3.1. The Italian experience of Ferrara, the “City for Cyclists”

Despite the low national bicycle modal share (only 4%) in Italy, the city of Ferrara in
Northern Italy boasts a 30% bicycle use for all daily trips, comparable with a Dutch city.
Since 1995, the Municipality of Ferrara has been voluntarily implementing measures and
policies to promote cycling (see Table 8); as an example the city instituted the first “Bike
Office”, which now coordinates a network of 25 Bike Offices in different Italian cities.
Table 8: Ferrara’s policies to promote cycling

Description of the
Year Target
measures
 Allows tourists and visitors to park the car

outside the inner centre and rent a bike. The
1995  BICICARD
card also provides discounts in shops,
restaurants, museum and hotels
 Establishment of the public bicycle office to

1996  BIKE OFFICE
promote cycling in the city
 Measures and action to facilitate cycling:

 INCENTIVES FOR cycle parking facilities, theft prevention,
1997-2002
BICYCLE USE Bicitaxi, BiciBus, bicycles for the use of
employees of public authorities
 Innovative Bicycle Plan included in the Urban

Traffic Plan that describes the future actions
 BICIPLAN
1998 to plan cycling mobility in the city
 BICIBLU
 The mayor and councillors are provided with
bicycles so that they can set a good example
 Start of the ‘C’entro in bici’ project that

provides commuters with free bicycles. This
2004  PUBLIC BICYCLE project covers 37 Italian cities where it is
possible to use the same key card to pick up
a bicycle
 Start the project whose aim is to recycle the

2005  THE RICICLETTA abandoned bicycles in the city by renovating
them and putting them in circulation again
Source: Municipality of Ferrara website
There some areas where measures to improve intermodality for cyclists can be particularly
effective:
 Public transport stops: increase accessibility for cyclists creating suitable, secure and
sheltered bicycle parking facilities near to public transport stops;
 Cycle carriage/cycle despatch: local and regional passenger transport by rail usually
imposes time-related restrictions on the carriage of bicycles. Except for some European
cities where public transport (trains subway and buses) are equipped with bicycle racks,
it is difficult to transport a bicycle on board the vehicle. Allowing the carriage of
bicycles would go a long way towards facilitating medium and longer journeys in the
cities and suburban areas.
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 Bicycle sharing: every year more and more cities are implementing bicycle sharing
schemes, with increasing success, especially amongst commuters.
4.4. Security
The main security related problems for cyclists are fear of theft or damage when bicycle
parking facilities are inadequate and fear of personal aggression when travelling at night.
Local governments and police departments have adopted a range of measures; again, the
most relevant examples are from Dutch and Danish cities.
4.4.1. Supervised parking in the Netherlands
In 1997 Utrecht, population 270 000, established a funding system in which bicycle parking
facilities are partly financed by car parking fees, to an annual total of EUR 750 000. This
fund, supplemented by other municipal budgets, covers the costs of administration and
security of bicycle parking facilities. The city of Apeldoorn (population: 155 000) funds the
2 800 free supervised bicycle parking spaces from its car parking revenues.10 Eighteen per
cent of supervised storage users said they had travelled to the centre by car or bus before
free supervised bicycle parking was introduced.
4.4.2. Registered bicycles in Amsterdam
In Amsterdam, bicycle theft has been tackled structurally through the successful
‘Integrated bicycle theft prevention programme’ (2002-2006). This programme focused on
(i) monitoring sites with the highest incidence of bicycle theft and (ii) breaking the chains of
unregistered bicycles. Within five years the risk of bicycle theft in the Amsterdam-
Amstelland fell from 16% to 10%.
In 2007, the approach was extended nationwide by introducing the National Bicycle
Register at the Government Road Transport Agency, in which all bicycle thefts are
recorded. Since January 2008, this register has been accessible to the public: by entering a
frame or chip number, users can see whether a bicycle is registered as stolen.
4.4.3. Radio Frequency Identification Scheme in Copenhagen
The city of Copenhagen (where 20 000 bikes were stolen in 2008), in collaboration with the
Danish Technical Institute, is to implant Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips in
bicycles and track their whereabouts when stolen. The campaign called ‘Kun en hykler
stjaeler cykler’ (‘Only a hypocrite steals bikes’) is a pilot project that started in May 2009;
by the end of September 2009, 5 000 chips were to be distributed to volunteer cyclists
willing to participate to the project. The aim is to monitor the bikes and if they are stolen,
to know their exact location.
The following measures will increase security in the future:
 buildings supervised and possibly covered parking;

 promoting anti-theft devices and information campaigns about avoiding theft and
vandalism (in the United Kingdom there are some effective campaigns about how to
10
The city of Apeldoorn car parking revenues yield approximately EUR 2 to 2.5 million annually, a quarter of which
is earmarked for public transport and free bicycle storage.
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lock bicycles safely and which are the hazardous parking places to avoid (see
www.designagainstcrime.com);
 coordination between police departments, citizens and governmental policies;
 promoting new technologies such as RFID to counter bicycle theft, as in many United
States cities for several years;
 promoting a public register of stolen bicycles in which all thefts or acts of vandalism are
recorded so as to identify and then monitor the most dangerous sites.
Figure 8: ‘Fly parking’ in Dublin and Amsterdam
Photo: Paola Raganato
4.5. Soft measures

The main aim of ‘soft-measures’ is to moderate the impact of motorised traffic in the inner
city and residential or school districts. This kind of measure gives priority to cyclists in
urban traffic by reducing travel time and distance. This is a good way to make cycling more
attractive and competitive.
4.5.1. Opening one way streets for car traffic to bicycle transit
Opening one way streets to bicycle transit is a way of promoting urban cycling that many
European cities have already adopted. In Strasbourg, more than 358 one-way streets
(64 km of cycle paths) are currently equipped with two-way cycle lanes. Similar measures
have been implemented in Belgium (in Brussels since 2005). Experience demonstrates that
in this mixed traffic circulation, accidents are decreasing year by year. The ‘limited one-way
streets’ allow cyclists to avoid longer detours or dangerous roads with heavy vehicular
traffic and high car speeds. In a limited one-way street cyclists and motorists can see each
other, so visibility is better. This means that cyclists can avoid unexpected manoeuvres by
motorists.
On the other hand, this measure is frequently criticised in terms of cyclists’ safety. ‘Cycle
contraflows’, as they are called in the UK, where they are also implemented, require
extensive changes to the road markings. Car speeds must be limited to a maximum of
50 km/h, but more often as low as 30 km/h. Furthermore the road must be more than 3 m
wide to allow a safe passage for both cyclists and motorists. Finally, vigorous information
49
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campaigns must be launched by local bodies to minimise the impact of changing the road
rules.
Figure 9: ‘Cycle contraflow’ in a Swiss city and in the UK
Photo: Paola Raganato
4.5.2. Allowing bicycle transit in bus lanes
In London, from 5 January 2009, an 18-month trial allowed motorcycles, mopeds, scooters
and tricycles – but not those with sidecars – to travel in most red route bus lanes, currently
also used by cyclists and taxis. This trial measure has been contested as dangerous by
cyclists’ and pedestrians’ associations. The Cycling London Campaign, a volunteer
association, has mounted a monitoring campaign whose aim is to denounce dangerous
behaviour by the motorists and register any accidents which have occurred. This will help
local administrations to analyse the most critical locations and to determine whether this
rule will be permanent or not.
However the City of London increased the use of bicycles since the introduction of the
congestion charge measure in 2003. Figure 10 shows London cycling trends, starting from
January 2000. The reference point of March 2000 is allocated an index value of 100.
Obviously during the winter, cycling is not the favourite means of transport, but the results
achieved in 2008 demonstrate that more Londoners are now travelling by bicycle.
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Figure 10: Cycling trends in London
Source: TfL, 2008, quoted in ‘Transport at a crossroads’, EEA (2009)
4.5.3. Reducing speed limit of cars to 30 km/h
The current trend in many European cities is to reduce maximum car speeds to 30km/h,
since the traffic flow almost never exceeds this figure in congested urban areas anyway.
This measure helps to control vehicular traffic in residential and school districts and places
without a bicycle track. Reducing car speeds makes road humps or other kinds of barriers
between cyclists and motorists, which require significant investment, unnecessary. In
Freiburg, cyclists and pedestrians benefit from these traffic calming measures and 90% of
residents live within a 30km/h area.
4.5.4. Allowing right-hand turns at red traffic lights for cyclists
The city of Strasbourg has started a pilot scheme concerning right-hand turns only for
cyclists who have dedicated traffic lights and who are allowed to turn right at red traffic
lights (without committing an offence), taking account of other road users (vehicles and
pedestrians) that have priority anyway. This measure allows cyclists to reduce their travel
times, avoiding the need for them to stop at red traffic lights when it is not necessary.
Especially in the cold North European countries, it is important to reduce the time spent
waiting for green traffic lights. An interesting experiment was conducted in 2007 in the
province of Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands. The idea of this green light scheme
was that, in rain, temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius or with minimal car traffic,
cyclists would receive a green light two or three times per cycle, instead of once only. In
order to ascertain weather conditions, a rain sensor and a thermometer were linked to the
traffic light system. Provincial authorities decided to implement the positive results of the
experiment in Grave and in the future years many traffic lights will be modified.
4.5.5. Cycle Streets in Kiel
The city of Kiel, in northern Germany, started to promote a bicycle policy in 1987. Soft
urban measures have been progressively introduced, such as (i) the 30 zones (districts
where car speeds are limited to 30 km/h); (ii) the opening of one-way streets to cyclists;
(iii) the construction of Velorouten (cycle routes), and (iv) the institution of Fahrradstraßen
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(cycle streets). The cycle streets represent an innovative way to promote cycling: in these
streets, bicycles have priority. Bicycles are allowed to travel on the whole width of the
roadway and cars are not allowed to overtake them. Furthermore, cars must reduce their
speeds to 30 km/h or less to adequately adjust themselves to the speed of bicycles. Kiel
now has 7.8 km of cycle streets on which cars are allowed as an exception (e.g. residents
or deliveries).
From 1988 to 2003 the bicycle modal share in Kiel doubled to 17%. This important result is
due to the extensive urban cycle network, which allows cyclists to reach the main
destinations easily. The network of cycle routes comprises 11 routes which together make a
total of 25 km, including cycle streets, cycle lanes, cycle tracks and one-way streets.
However, the Velorouten are part of a greater urban cycle network that extends over
190 km. Clear signage at major intersections gives cyclists directions to the most important
destinations and their respective distances.
Figure 11: Velorouten and Cycle Streets in the city of Kiel
Source: City of Kiel website
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5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. Foreword
As pointed out in the previous chapter, there are many ways to increase the number of
cyclists. Nevertheless, some of these measures need medium to long time frames to be
implemented. Obviously, building up a separate infrastructure for cyclists in a city can be a
good policy to assure safer cycling and encourage urban cycling, but it is not feasible in the
short term. Some European cities, especially those where there was no tradition of or
interest in cycling, implemented types of ‘soft-measures’ aiming to change people’s
behaviour in relation to cycling. The following paragraphs report what has already been
done by local administrations.
5.2. The importance of policy integration

The most important results have been achieved in those cities where infrastructure
planning has been followed by (i) training and education for both motorists and non-
motorist road users, (ii) information and promotion campaigns, and (iii) careful spatial
policies.
To reduce cycling injuries and accidents, it is very important to enforce safety oriented
behaviour (e.g. wearing of helmets and reflector clothes compulsory) and provide safety
oriented infrastructures (e.g. good signposting, dedicated cyclists’ lanes or tracks,
continuous cycle track maintenance, safe design of bicycle paths).
Promotion of cycling should be supported by a global vision with regard to city planning.
First of all, the urban development of a city should take into consideration accessibility not
only by car or public transport, but also by bicycle. Bicycle parking facilities should be
compulsory for new districts, both commercial and residential.
Secondly, Transport Demand Management could encourage changes in residents’

behaviour. Major employers should start by promoting workplace travel plans that include
the bicycle as a means of transport. Every year, many cities worldwide celebrate ‘Cycle to
Work’ week, whose aim is to promote the idea of travelling to work by bicycle. Companies
should also provide facilities for cyclists (such as changing rooms, lockers and showers).
Measures like pricing in the largest cities can automatically improve the conditions
favourable to cycling, since they limit the number of cars in city centre. As shown in
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Figure 10, the number of people who cycle has doubled since the introduction of congestion
charging.
In relation to mobility management, appreciable initiatives already exist. Some Swiss,

German, Dutch and Danish companies reward their employees who have chosen to go to
work by bicycle by raising their salaries. Some other companies decided to buy a bicycle
fleet to give employees the opportunity to cycle to work and have also built bicycle parking
facilities near offices instead of car parking areas.
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5.3. Key areas for future intervention

According to the analysis carried out in the previous chapter, Table 9 presents suggested
hard and soft measures to promote cycling. As reported in Chapter Four, these measures
represent two different approaches that local bodies can follow (or combine) to achieve
their targets.
Soft measures are not applicable to improving intermodality and security, since these
require a package of policies and coordination between different stakeholders. Therefore,
the table suggests only hard measures for these areas.
Table 9: Suggested hard and soft measures

Key area Hard measure Soft measure
 Build separate and safer cycle tracks  Give cyclists

 Provide well-maintained cycle tracks priority in urban
Road  Improve safety of parking facilities traffic, making
infrastructure  Implement an urban spatial policy to link urban traffic lights more
and parking areas with their neighbourhoods cycle-friendly
facilities  Provide connections between urban cycle  Open one-way
tracks and recreational cycle paths, including streets to cyclists
long distance routes
 Promote information and education campaigns  Allow cyclists to

about safe cycling use bus lanes
 Promote training for children about cycling  Reduce the speed
rules and appropriate behaviour limit for cars to
Safety  Promote stronger enforcement of traffic rules 30 km/h
and laws to be applied to cyclists
 Train motorists and pedestrians in order to
promote responsibility for shared spaces with
cyclists
 Create spacious secure and sheltered bicycle Not applicable

parking facilities near public transport stops
 Allow carriage of bicycles on trains and public
Intermodality transport
 Equip public transport vehicles/carriages with
bicycle racks
 Implement bicycle sharing schemes
 Build supervised and, if possible, covered Not applicable

parking facilities
 Promote anti-theft devices and information
campaigns about avoiding theft and damage
from vandalism
Security  Promote coordination between police
departments, the public and government
policies
 Promote new technologies (RFID) to counter
bicycle theft
 Promote public registers of stolen bicycles
Source: TRT’s elaboration
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5.4. The role of the authorities

Paragraph 4.5 has presented some examples of possible soft measures which cities may
implement to enhance the role of cycling within the urban modal split. Moreover, the
importance of an integrated approach has been stressed, as this will lead to a balanced
package of measures, instead of single and potentially less effective actions. However,
shaping a balanced package of measures requires the involvement of various public and
private stakeholders at different levels. Five categories of intervention may be proposed,
each of which includes a set of specific measures as illustrated in Table 10. These
categories are called the ‘Five Es’: Engineering, Enforcement, Encouragement,
Evaluation and Education. For each category, the group of stakeholders of greatest
interest is hypothesised, as well as the scope of implementation.
Table 10: The Five Es concepts

Topic Description of the measures Stakeholders Scope
 Bicycle infrastructure (lanes, bridges, route - National National

signage, safety signals) governments Local
 Frequent road maintenance - Municipalities
Engineering  Bike friendly traffic calming - Consultancy
 End-use facilities (bike racks, parking) companies
 Integrating cycling with other modes (bike
racks on buses and trains)
 Educating motorists to share the road - Private Local

 Safety programs for children and adults associations or
 Safety campaign communication
 Bicycle instructors companies
Education
 Bicycle route maps - Volunteer
 Bicycle websites charities
 Government partnerships to promote safe - Municipalities
cycling
 Incentives to enhance the use of cycling - Private Local

(community incentive programs, marketing associations or
advertisements and public relations, bicycle communication
Encouragement
events, on-line trip planning, safe routes to companies
schools, commercial centres, and - Volunteer
employment areas) charities
Establish rules for cyclists and motorists on all - National National

type of routes. These include: departments of Local
 Policies for supporting cycling transport
 Local police department liaison - Local police
 Police enforcement of traffic laws that apply department
Enforcement
to cyclists
 Police enforcement to encourage motorists to
share the road and drive safely near cyclists
 Public safety officials on bikes
 Law on mandatory wearing of helmets
 Change in percentage modal share - EU European

 Number of accidents, injuries, thefts Commission National
 Kilometres of bicycle path, signed routes and - National Local
Evaluation lanes in the network government
 Comprehensive bicycle master plan - Local
 Evaluation of interconnecting bicycle routes government
to provide seamless transport options
Source: TRT’s elaborations based on data available at www.bikeleague.org
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5.5. The role of the EU

Promoting cycling is the responsibility of the national and local authorities, since it is an
integral part of urban policy. It depends very much on local political will and the allocation
of financial resources.
The EU, as supranational coordinator and facilitator member, should continue to fund EU
initiatives and projects whose aim is to divulge the best practices and their transferability
among EU cities. Beginning with the brochure ‘Cycling: the way ahead for towns and cities’,
published in 1999, the EU still continues to promote cycling initiatives through the annual
European Mobility Week. The CIVITAS Initiative, which introduces and tests packages of
innovative measures to improve local transport systems, should not be forgotten. In
addition, important co-financed projects, including BYPAD and SPICYCLE, have helped
many cities implement bicycle sharing schemes, provide cycling infrastructure and promote
safety-related information campaigns.
As indicated in Table 10: , the EU should have a determining role in the evaluation phase in
order to:
 Provide guidelines and measures to promote cycling that could be followed by EU cities
in their local policies;
 Propose targets for bicycle modal share, especially in congested urban environments;
 Maintain efforts to encourage safer cycling, by investing in road safety projects.
Protection of vulnerable road users is the first step to promotion of cycling;
 Facilitate the collection of cycling-related statistical data by financing EU studies and
creating a common database of best practices.
In conclusion, according to the subsidiarity principle, the EU should support national and
local governments, as decision-makers, to help them choose the best measures for
changing people’s behaviour.11 Certainly, synergy based efforts can make it easier to
implement these measures.
Sustainable Urban Transport Plans (SUTP) are a good way to ensure that transport systems
meet society’s economic, social and environmental needs whilst minimising their
undesirable impacts on the economy, society and the environment. Within SUTPs,
measures intended to improve cycling may play a relevant role and make a significant
contribution to local authorities’ objectives of reducing CO2 emissions, improving air quality
targets, etc..
11
The principle of subsidiarity is intended to ensure that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen
and that constant checks are made as to whether action at Community level is justified in the light of the
possibilities available at national, regional or local level. Specifically, it is the principle whereby the Union does
not take action (except in the areas that fall within its exclusive competence) unless it is more effective than
action taken at national, regional or local level. It is closely linked to the principles of proportionality and
necessity, which require that any action by the Union should not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the
objectives of the Treaty (source: http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/subsidiarity_en.htm).
57
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6. REFERENCES
URBAN MOBILITY: PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS AND OVERVIEW OF
EU INITIATIVES
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INTRODUCTION TO CYCLING AND NATIONAL POLICIES

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BEST PRACTICES: INFRASTRUCTURES AND INTERMODALITY

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BEST PRACTICES: SAFETY AND SECURITY

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BEST PRACTICES: TRAINING AND EDUCATION

 Department for Transport (2006), Walking and cycling: ’Links to Schools'
extending the National Cycle Network to schools, London
 Naefe K., Bösemann S. (2007), How kids discover the World by bike – Projects
at German school. Available at www.eltis.org/docs/studies [last access
September 2009]
 Sustrans (2009), Bike it Project Review 2009. Available at
www.sustrans.org.uk/bikeit [last access October 2009]
 www.mobiel21.be/
63
____________________________________________________________________________________________
SOFT MEASURES
 Galli E. (2008), Strasburgo: Interventi a favore della mobilità ciclistica e
moderazione del traffico, FIAB. Available at www.fiab-onlus.it
 European Environment Agency (2009), Transport at a crossroads, Copenhagen
 www.strasbourg.fr (last access September 2009)
 www.lcc.org.uk (last access September 2009)
 www.brucity.be (last access September 2009)
 www.fietsberaad.nl (last access October 2009)
 www.kiel.de (last access November 2009)
64
____________________________________________________________________________________________
ANNEX
A.1 Cycle infrastructure in the Netherlands12
Many Dutch cities have been working for years to produce a cycle network segregated from
the busiest flows of car traffic. The advantage for cyclists in having a separate road facility
is the possibility of travelling on a virtually barrier-free network with fewer traffic lights at
crossings. The major cycle-friendly cities have already implemented urban spatial planning
policies to make public services for their residents accessible easily by bicycle.
The province of Gelderland (www.gelderland.nl) is implementing a vigorous bicycle policy to

determine where comfort improvements are needed. Over a two-year period, Gelderland
will spend EUR 21 million on laying down and improving provincial cycle paths. Bicycle
parking facilities at bus stops are being expanded, and the Public Transport Bicycle scheme
(the Dutch bike sharing scheme) extended to small stations and bus terminals. Apart from
these measures, new development also involves the long distance bicycle routes, which
have been incorporated into regional planning. These routes will be protected by spatial
policy: if the routes are infringed by new spatial developments, the province will only agree
if the national cycling platform (the organisation behind the long distance routes) agrees to
an alternative route.
Traffic lights in the Netherlands generally have separate indicators for bicycles. Facilities
that have been developed to increase the safety and flow of bicycles include:
 detection sensors at a distance, to register the approach of cyclists in advance;
 two green sequences for cyclists;
 simultaneous green lights for cyclists in all directions (particularly useful for cyclists
turning left, enabling them to cross the intersection diagonally);
 display timers that give \cyclists an indication of how long they need to wait for a green
light.
Despite all the facilities, traffic lights are the major irritation for cyclists, who ignore red
lights, often causing accidents involving motorised vehicles. The main alternative to traffic
lights is roundabouts.
The Municipality of Enschede was the first to experiment with separate bicycle tracks just
outside a roundabout with priority for cyclists, in the built-up areas. Ideally, the bicycle
track takes the form of a perfect circle and the distance between the car lane and the
bicycle path is 5 m. Outside the built-up area, cyclists do not have priority and bicycle
crossing places are at a considerable distance from the car lane (at least 10 m). These
recommendations have been adopted by most road administrators but many cities and
provinces currently do not accord priority to cyclists in the built-up area. Figure 12 gives an
example of a roundabout with the bicycle lanes coloured in blue.
12
All information is provided by Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Fietsberaad ‘Cycling
in the Netherlands’, 2009.
65
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 12: Example of Dutch roundabout with bicycle safety tracks
Source: Geometric design for a roundabout that gives cyclists the right of way (CROW,1998) quoted in ‘Pedestrian
and Bicycle-Friendly Roundabouts; Dilemma of Comfort and Safety’,
L.G. H. Fortuijn, Delft (2003)
A.2 The Sustrans Links to Schools and Bike It projects
In England, Sustrans’ Links to Schools project began in October 2004 with the majority
of projects being completed between spring and autumn 2005, creating 147 links
connecting more than 300 schools to their communities and enabling up to 200 000
children to walk or cycle to school.
The primary aim of Links to Schools is to connect young people to their schools with
traffic-free and traffic-calmed walking and cycling routes, creating a safe and attractive
environment to give parents the confidence to allow their children to walk or bike to school.
Apart from safety, there are of course other direct benefits to the community. Fewer cars
taking children to and from school means less congestion and pollution and less potential
for accidents outside school gates.
Another important project in the United Kingdom, Bike It, is still successful five years after
its first implementation. The aim of the project is to enable young people to cycle to school.
Bike It is designed to give children the skills and confidence to travel by themselves, and
parents the peace of mind to let them travel alone. It’s success is due to the participation
of a range of organisations that funded the pilot project in England and Wales (e.g. Bike
66
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Hub13), the schools and teachers who are willing to participate in the project, and the local
bicycle retailers who help with bike maintenance sessions.
In 2008, approximately 89 000 children from 443 schools and 55 local authorities were
involved in the project.
The Figure 13 shows the results of a 2008 Sustrans survey of around 19 000 primary and
secondary school pupils that asked: ‘Do you cycle to school?’.
Figure 13: Annual Sustrans Bike It survey
Source: Bike It, Project Review 2009
As the figure indicates, the percentage of children who said they never cycle to school
dropped from 75% to 55% and the frequency of pupils cycling to school increased after
Bike It.
As reported in the Bike It project 2009 review, the role of Bike It officers is to work with
schools by:
 explaining the benefits of cycling,

 contributing to classroom work,
 addressing safety concerns with help of the local authority,
 sharing good practice with school management teams,
 organising practical cycling activities,
 generating positive publicity.
Each Bike It officer works with 12 schools every year and benefits from the knowledge and
experience of the Sustrans team. Sustrans also provides Bike It staff with full training, risk
assessment, cycle safety instruction, outdoor activities and child protection.
13
Bike Hub is an industry wide initiative developed by The Bicycle Association of Great Britain and the Association
of Cycle Traders. The objective of Bike Hub is to generate funds from within the cycle industry to support the
future of cycling in the United Kingdom.
67
____________________________________________________________________________________________
A.3 Vélib’ bike sharing scheme in Paris
This started in July 2007 with 10 648 bicycles and 750 pick-up and drop-off stations in the
city of Paris. After only a few months (December 2007), the number of bicycles and
stations was doubled. Vélib’, the bike sharing scheme of Paris, extended the service to 30
municipalities in the metropolitan area, making a total of 300 additional stations by the end
of 2009.
Vélib’ is available 365 days a year. Stations are located every 300 m and the bicycles can
be hired by residents aged 14 years or over (and 1.50 m minimum height). Paris has more
than 350 km of bicycle paths, and started the experimental measure of ‘Contraflow’ for
cyclists in one-way streets in 2005. Many types of subscriptions are available: (i) a long
term subscription costs EUR 29 and (ii) a short term subscription is available for a week
EUR 5 or day EUR 1).
The first 30 minutes per day are free of charge; additional hours follow the rates below:
 EUR 1 for the first additional half hour;

 EUR 2 for the second additional half hour;
 EUR 4 for the third additional half hour.
Payment can be made by credit card and a security deposit of EUR 150 is required.
68

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TRANSPORT AND TOURISM

THE PROMOTION OF CYCLING

TRT - Trasporti e Territorio, Milan, Italy*

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Manuscript completed in April 2010.

This document is available on the Internet at:

TRANSPORT AND TOURISM

THE PROMOTION OF CYCLING

4.4.2. Registered bicycles in Amsterdam 48

CIVITAS CIty VITAlity Sustainability Initiative

CO2 Carbon Dioxide

CoR Committee of the Regions

CROW The National Information and Technology Platform for Transport,

EEA European Environment Agency

EESC European Economic and Social Committee

ELTIS European Local Transport Information Service (ELTIS)

EPOMM The European Platform on Mobility Management

FIAB Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GIS Geographical Information System

ICT Information and Communication Technologies

RGUVV Rheinische Gemeindeunfallversicherungsverband

SUTPs Sustainable Urban Transport Plans

WHO World Health Organization

Roadside converted-footway type structure or sidepath alongside

A part of a road marked by painted lines and intended for use by

Usually a series of cycle paths making a medium-long cycle

 the provision of good, and safe infrastructures in cities and neighbourhoods;

In conclusion, the EU should assist national and local governments, as decision-makers, to

1.1. Urban mobility

However, though mobility makes a crucial contribution to the socioeconomic growth of

progress, demographic changes, socioeconomic and environmental development and the

1.3. This briefing note

Table 1: Main features of SUTPs, Mobility Management and Cycling

Topic Timing Approach Main features EU role

- Consistency between (Common to all

 the provision of appropriate and safe infrastructures in cities and at neighbourhood

1.4. The structure of this note

2. CYCLING: CONCEPTS AND CURRENT PROBLEMS

Cycling is fun, healthy, environmentally friendly, fast and inexpensive.

- cyclists’health and fitness;

- economic and social impact.

- lack or inadequacy of road and parking infrastructure;

- cyclists’ safety and security;

Internationally, cycling has attracted increasing attention as an environmentally sustainable

2.2. The benefits of cycling

2.2.1. Transport efficiency

2.2.2. Environmental benefits

2.2.3. Health and fitness issues

Box 1: Benefits of regular physical activity

 Reduces the risk of premature death from heart disease

 Reduces the risk of developing diabetes

 Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure

 Reduces the risk of developing colon and breast cancer

 Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety

 Helps control weight

 Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints

 Promotes psychological well-being